18 June 2002
New Opportunity Arises to Improve Relations with North Korea
(Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group joint statement) (590)
There is "a critical opportunity to improve relations with North
Korea," according to a joint statement issued June 18 in San Francisco
by the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group (TCOG).
TCOG, which comprises representatives for governments of the United
States, Japan, and Republic of Korea (ROK), "reconfirmed the
importance of engaging North Korea in the international community
through constructive dialogue," and affirmed the importance of
"comprehensive and flexible talks" with North Korea to resolve
concerns.
The three delegations pledged to continue close consultations and
agreed to another round of trilateral consultations in the near
future.
Following is the text of the joint statement, as distributed by the
Department of State:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
June 18, 2002
STATEMENT BY RICHARD BOUCHER, SPOKESMAN
Joint Statement by Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group
The following statement by the U.S., Japan, and Republic of Korea was
issued on June 18 in San Francisco.
JOINT PRESS STATEMENT OF TRILATERAL COORDINATION AND OVERSIGHT GROUP
(TCOG)
San Francisco, June 18, 2002
The Delegations of the United States of America, the Republic of Korea
(ROK), and Japan, headed respectively by Assistant Secretary of State
for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James A. Kelly, Deputy Foreign
Minister Ambassador Lee Tae-sik, and Director-General of Asian and
Oceanian Affairs Hitoshi Tanaka, held this year's third U.S.-ROK-Japan
Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group (TCOG) meeting in San
Francisco on June 17, 2002.
The three delegations shared the view that they are now facing a
critical opportunity to improve relations with North Korea. They
reconfirmed the importance of engaging North Korea in the
international community through constructive dialogue, which would
greatly enhance prospects for peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia.
The three delegations also affirmed the importance of comprehensive
and flexible talks with North Korea to resolve their respective issues
of concern, and emphasized the need for North Korea to take a
constructive attitude toward these issues. The ROK and Japanese
delegations welcomed U.S. plans to undertake serious dialogue with
North Korea, and expressed their intention to conduct their own
dialogue with North Korea in parallel with U.S.-DPRK dialogue. The
U.S. and Japanese delegations reaffirmed their support for President
Kim Dae-jung's policy of engagement. The three delegations reiterated
that continued close consultations and trilateral coordination remain
vital to the success of their individual efforts. They also expressed
their desire for a humanitarian resolution to the North Korean refugee
issue.
Highlighting the importance of improved implementation of the 1994
Agreed Framework, the three delegations noted that construction of the
Light Water Reactors is proceeding, and called on North Korea to move
forward with steps needed to begin full cooperation with the IAEA.
Finally, the three delegations agreed to hold the next round of
trilateral consultations in the near future to further coordinate
their respective policies toward North Korea.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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